


We'll still be the same, as we are

by HogwartsToAlexandria



Series: Marie Ships it All Shorts 2019 [26]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Domestic Fluff, Family Fluff, Family Reunions, Growing Old, M/M, Police Captain Steve, Retirement, Stucky secret santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-18 07:11:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21940252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HogwartsToAlexandria/pseuds/HogwartsToAlexandria
Summary: Steve is a stubborn man, always has been, always will be, age only makes it stand out even more. Until, eventually, he sees reason, and Bucky is always right there, hand outstretched for that part, ready.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Series: Marie Ships it All Shorts 2019 [26]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1649578
Comments: 3
Kudos: 26
Collections: Stucky Secret Santa 2019





	We'll still be the same, as we are

**Author's Note:**

  * For [crankyfractal (upquarkAO3)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/upquarkAO3/gifts).



Bucky was sitting cross-legged, or as cross-legged as you could sit at nearly 70 - or well past it if he stopped lying to himself - with a plaid blanket on his knees and the latest of Patterson's thrillers in hand, reaching the third part of its 400 pages, relaxed, until the front door opened and a gush of frosty air reached him before Steve could close it behind him. 

"Home sweet, sweet home." He heard him groan from the hallway, surely toeing off his boots and shrugging off his uniform jacket, next would come the drawer being pulled and the badge and gun neatly set in their spot, on the far left of it behind the stack of letters that they kept as a memento from just about anyone they knew.

Once all that was done, precisely and with as many movements as the day before, and the day after that, on the dot, Steve walked into the living room and took a deep breath in, inhaling the smell that emanated from the fireplace and the perfume of Bucky's stoved hot cocoa. 

"Welcome home, old man." Bucky smiled as he put his bookmark between the pages, letting go of Emily and John's exploration of the mansion for now. 

"I'm not old, but thank you." Steve came around the couch to sit next to Bucky, not without wincing when it demanded he bent his legs at the knees and leaned on his arms. But no, not old, duh.

"Had a good day?" Bucky snickered - he already knew about the robbery downtown and the subsequent chase of the petty criminal through the streets,  _ on foot _ . 

He didn't try to hide his amusement, so Steve really stood no chance of avoiding that one. 

"You know uh?" He huffed, "Who was it? I bet it was Keener, that kid hates me."

"No he  _ doesn't _ . He just happens to like  _ me _ better, which is just as well - you had to  _ sit down _ Steve, this isn't funny anymore."

"Oh come on, we've talked about this a thousand times, Buck, I'm not retiring." 

"Well, let's talk make it a thousand and one, shall we? You're turning sixty-fucking-eight next July, Stevie, you're in no condition to keep doing this job." Bucky brushed his hair out of his face and turned to face Steve on the couch - clumsily so because, again, old man joints are no joke. 

He put his arm on the back cushion of the couch to trace mindless patterns down Steve's shoulder, soothing the ache of his words across the crisp light blue shirt of his husband's beloved uniform. Steve screwed his eyes shut for a moment. 

"I can't just leave the guys…" he said. 

"Oh yeah?" Bucky smiled, sensing that for once, he might have made a breakthrough, or that the failed chase of the afternoon just helped drive this almost decade-old point home. "And how did you make Police Captain again? Didn't Fury have to let the chair go for you to sit on it? And don't tell me it was easier for him 'cause that man lived for his job, doll, you know he did. And yet he  _ retired _ ."

Silence fell, heavy in the room but somehow, not between them, it was never between them. Bucky kept drawing circles on Steve's shoulder, sometimes brushing a finger in the length of Steve's hair that had grayed sure, but not lost in thickness in anyway. He watched Steve as he fell deep in thought, until the man sighed and looked at him sideways. Bucky barely held onto his grin - he could feel it, he was winning.

"Maybe you're right, maybe… maybe I should leave, give my place to Nakia, she deserves it after all." Steve said, thoughtful, calmer than Bucky would have pictured him as he made his call. 

Because Steve Rogers may take ages to come to his senses, but once he did, he never lingered on the decision process. Thank fuck. 

"Would be a good time to make Sergeant Lang Lieutenant and Officers Keener and Parker have earned their Corporal insignias by now, too…" 

Bucky grinned as he picked his cocoa mug back up from the coffee table and watched Steve get up again, his renewed wince going totally unnoticed as he started pacing and rambling about who would make what and what he'd have to do to set his things in order and… 

Mission accomplished. And telephonic appointment made with Saskia, she'd tell her brothers and they would celebrate this in a week, when they all came down for dinner. 

"You're not actually talking  _ to _ me right now, are you?" Bucky enquired, already folding his blanket and getting up. 

"What? No, not really, sorry," Steve smiled sheepishly. 

"Totally fine, keep doing what you're doing. I'll order us something."

"Great. Thank you Buck," Steve said but Bucky knew for a fact his husband had already forgotten what he was thanking him for. 

* * *

The morning of Christmas Eve arrived in a mess of voices and children and hugs and wrapping paper and Bucky thought he was lucky he was still rather dynamic in his advancing age because while he was just short of exhausted already, he wasn’t totally there yet. Small victories. 

Steve on the other hand, was everywhere he was needed and more and couldn't take a damn seat unless being forcibly told to by his husband, or any of their three children and their lawfully wedded better halves. 

Saskia had arrived, pregnant belly first, wolfish grin second, and hugged both her dads with the knowledge she'd been trusted with, and which her brothers had yet to hear. She'd made sure to squeeze her Dad's shoulder just long enough that her support shone through but not long enough for Steve to second-guess his decision again and then went on to settle her own little family in the two bedrooms Bucky had set for them. 

Sully's husband Mark, ever the thoughtful one, had brought bottles of Steve's favorite champagne and the way he put them away into the fridge and smiled at Bucky had a softness to it that told Bucky he knew, too. 

Thank God, they had a yard big enough for both Saskia's kids and Alan's son to run their energy out most of the day. 

The tree Bucky had asked Keener and Parker to help bring home because of how big it was and he had to say, for all the age jabs he'd had to endure during that trip, it had been worth it. It sat in the corner of the living room, going up to where the ceiling was the highest, and, courtesy of Lang and his daughter this time, it was decorated top to bottom in elegant garlands and other Christmasy trinkets that reflected the light in the room in all directions. The wrapped gifts weren't there yet - Santa would only come during the night after all - but Bucky could already see them and how they would litter two feet-wide around the base of the tree in colorful and sometimes cartoon-inspired papers folded around their secret gifts with varying levels of skill. 

It felt good to have their house filled with the noise and energy of the family they'd been able to create thirty years onward. Bucky spent the day with a stupid grin on his face, only pausing to frown at his husband's restlessness every now and again. He knew Steve was stressing out over the idea of breaking the news of his retirement to their two other children and he couldn't tell if it had to do with their reactions, which would be ridiculous but what can you do, or with the fact that somehow, saying it out loud around the dinner table would make it official, real, definitive and it freaked him out. Knowing Steve, both answers were probably good bets - even at 67, Mister Protect and Serve still saw putting down the badge and hat as some kind of failure, as abandoning his post. Silly face.

Bucky busied himself with making Christmas cookies with his youngest granddaughter Ellen, delighting at  _ her _ delight and feeling his heart expand every time he looked at her chocolate smeared cheeks and floury fingers. 

"Can I help?" Steve passed his head by the kitchen door at some point, smiling when he saw the state they were in, surely. 

Bucky grinned at him, "Always. C'mere." he made grabby hands at his husband before turning to Ellen again, "What should Popi do, baby?" 

"C'istmas pie!" the two-year old exclaimed with glee.

Steve put on his most serious face as he said, "Yes, Captain!" 

Bucky took a step back after washing his hands, sitting on one of the stools around the kitchen island to watch them go about making the Rogers family's secret chocolate and pear pie. The way Steve was so careful as he guided Ellen's hands in mixing the melted chocolate and pear purée together, the way his eyes creased in the corners as he laughed at the little girl's interjections, the smile in his eyes and his body as he bent and melted at the contact of their bright granddaughter. He was at home, they both were and Bucky exhaled silently but deeply, relaxing in the warmth of this domesticity, in the love that coursed through his veins until his fingertips tingled with it. 

"Bath time!" Saskia's voice echoed through the house and the pace at which they could hear her footsteps going down the hallway of the first floor did a good job of popping their little bubble. The three of them looked at each other with secretive smiles as Steve put the finishing touches onto the pie and Ellen gave her last instructions.

"Come on, angel, time to go or Mom will ground us," Bucky winked.

Ellen laughed, "You're too grown-up to be grounded Papi!"

"Oh, you know your Mommy, she's capable of  _ anything _ ." 

Bucky took Ellen into his arms, smiling at Steve as he carried her outside.

Dinner time came quickly after that. The children - as always - ignored the mashed peas in favor of the chicken and roasted potatoes, as well as, in the case of Ellen's big sister, Tally, cranberry sauce, /all over/ said potatoes. 

Again, Bucky felt a tad emotional at the way they'd managed to get everyone around the table once more, images of Alan and Sully bickering during their teen years while Saskia rolled her eyes and asked if she could go up to her room, years and years ago, came back to him, as well as even more ancient memories of seeing those same kids turned adults and parents take their first steps right behind that same table. Or to share the news that they were dating someone, joining the military, engaged, quitting their jobs, pregnant, married. It all came in a wave that misted Bucky's eyes between the aforementioned peas and the serving of the pie. Steve's hand on his knee only added to the mix and the small wink Mark sent his way didn't help matters. Fuck, but did he love his family. 

It's only when the kids were put to bed and kissed good night that the  _ grown-ups _ gathered in the living-room and proceeded to play Santa by taking out a mountain of gifts from either of their car trunks or the cupboards and other secret corners of closets. Bucky was right, there were packages everywhere, and it was beautiful. He couldn't wait to see the look on the faces of the children in the morning.

They all sat down on the couch and either of the beanbags and it was Alan, their most discreet but nonetheless insightful kid that asked, smiling a bit as he kept his head on his brother's shoulder, "So, Dad, what's up?" 

"Hm?" Steve tried to play coy, and Bucky huffed, nudging him with one of his feet as he had both on the man's lap. 

"Come on, punk, spit it out," he whispered, loud enough that everyone still heard him. Steve blushed, the same as he always did when Bucky used that same nickname he'd first used when they were teenagers dancing around each other in a time when being who they meant they had to find creative ways to show their affection. 

"I--" Steve's voice broke a bit. He put both hands on Bucky's ankles, squeezing intermittently and probably without realizing he was even doing it before he started again, "After years of arguing about it," he gave Bucky a pointed glance, "and careful consideration on my part, I will be  _ retiring _ ." he threw the word like it hurt him to say it, and it probably did, actually. "Starting in three months, though, so I have time to train Nakia to take my place."

The silence that had settled as everyone waited for Steve to  _ say  _ it, didn’t last long after he was done. Sully started laughing, Mark grinned and nodded at Steve when the man frowned at his son and looked at his husband in question, and Alan muttered, “About fucking time.”

“That’s what I said!” Saskia exclaimed and Sully immediately sat up straighter.

“How come  _ you  _ knew?!” He asked but the outrage in his voice was all pretend so Saskia just stuck her tongue at him. 

Bucky was grinning, Steve’s incredulous face was to die for. 

“That’s all you’re going to say about it? You’re not surprised?” Steve asked after a bit.

“What do you want us to say? I’d say congrats Dad, but that’s not what you want to hear is it?” Alan chuckled again. 

“Yeah, we’ve been rooting for Pop’s side of that argument for  _ years _ .” Sully’s amusement came through, loud and clear. “You’re just gonna have to find something to do with yourself that doesn’t involve driving him crazy, huh.” He winked as he crossed his legs and took Mark’s hand in his. 

“Told you they wouldn’t make a big deal of it, you big silly.” Bucky pulled Steve to him and smiled when Steve let it happen and they ended up laying across their side of the couch in a comfortable hug. He rearranged the cushion behind them so they were still sort of sitting before turning his attention back to Alan, the question he’d had burning on the tip of his tongue all day finally slipping out. “What about you, youngest? What’s up with that face you’ve been having all day?”

“Yeah! I was wondering too!” Saskia exclaimed, munching on leftover cookies. 

Alan squirmed a bit on his seat before sitting up, letting go of his brother’s shoulder. 

“I might have met someone? But you’re not meeting them yet because it’s super fresh and I don’t wanna scare them away with all you yahoos.” His voice got more and more confident as he talked and Bucky’s heart leaped in his chest.

He smiled at his son. “Them?” 

“Yup,” Alan answered simply and everyone nodded, keeping their potential joyful outbursts contained for the sake of the calmest and most reserved of their tribe, but grinning to the high heavens nonetheless. 

“Good plan, kiddo, keeping them away, especially from  _ those two _ ,” Steve said pointing at Saskia and Sully, “anyone in their right minds, sorry Mark, would flee these crazies.”

“Hey!” Saskia threw him the throw-pillow she’d been keeping pressed against her belly, “You only say that because Eli couldn’t be there tonight, just you wait.” she threatened before a frown passed over her face, “Actually, give me that pillow back, that’s the only way I was comfy.”

“Here,” Steve threw it back, right in her face before laughing at the fake glare she sent him.

Bucky kept glancing back at Alan and threw him a kiss when his son met his eyes. He had a feeling that relationship wasn’t as new as Alan was telling them, but instead getting onto serious territory and the way Alan’s smile stayed firmly put on his face without letting anything out kind of confirmed it. Good. This was great, knowing that his son was getting the love he deserved. 

“Hot cocoa?” Bucky asked when things quieted down again and they’d decided on watching some Hallmark movie or other. 

A chorus of ‘yes’s’ was his answer and he once again smiled, soft and moved to the bone by the affection that lived tight around his heart that night. He brushed a hand in the nape of Steve’s neck as he got up and made his way to the kitchen. 

He was so ready to get on with their mellow retired lives made of babysitting and baking things for their children and their lawfully wedded soulmates. So ready to grow  _ even _ older with Steve relaxing at his side, a good book in one hand, and Steve’s fingers clasped around the other. So ready.


End file.
